Improvement in hog-trafs



-TPATENT QFFIGE.

JOIIBT Il. PEGGS AND GEORGE M. OVERSHINER, OF ELIVOOD, INDIANA.

IMPRQVEMENTIN HoGTRAPs.

Specification forming part ofLettex-s Patent No. Eell'fl, dated February 10, 1874; application filed November'?, 1873.

To all whom Ait may concern:

Beit known that we, JOHN ll. Pisces and (ino. M. OvnnsnINnR, of Elwood, in the county ot' Madison and State of Indiana, have invented a 4new and useful Improvement in Hog-Trap, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a front view of our improved trap, part being broken away to show the con struction. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, part being broken away to show the construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

Our invention has for its object to furnish an improved device, simple in construction, convenient in use, and reliable in operation, for catching' hogs and holding them securely while being ringed, marked, or castrated.

The invention will first be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

A are two sills, to which, near their forward ends, are attached two crossbars, I. In a vertical longitudinal slot, in the middle part ot" the bars B, are pivoted the lower ends of the levers C, one ot' said pivots passin through a slot in the bars 13, and having attached to its ends the ends of the loop or Ubar l), which drops into one or the other ot' a series ot' transverse notches formed in the upper side ot' the projecting end ol' the bars B. This enables the lower ends ot' the levers C to be readily adjusted at such distance apart as the size ofthe hogs to be caught may require. 'l he upper ends oi' the levers O are inserted iu a vertical longitudinal slot in the top crossbars E, the end parts ot' which are secured to the bars I, attached to or ibi-ming part el" the boards or side iframes G. To the outer side of each ot' the levers C is attached the end ot a strap, Il. 'lhe straps ll ol'each pair otlevers C pass over a small roller, I, pivoted in the slot or' the cross-bar li, over a second roller, J, pivoted in the outer end oil said slot, and to their projecting parts, or to chains H attached to said parts, are attached weights l, sufficient to draw the upper ends oi the leA vers G together, and hold the hog until the straps or chains Il can be passed over pins L, attached to the ends of the bars B. I pre` fer to make the weights K in the form of buckets, baskets, or boxes, having stones or other heavy substances placed in them, 'so that the weight can be easily adjusted as required. rlhe two pairs of levers C are placed at such a distance apart that when the one pair may clasp the neck of a hog the other pair may clasp him behind the fore legs. The weights K are supported, when the trap is set, by the arms M, attached to or formed upon the shaft N, and which enter holes in the straps II. The shaft N works in bearings attached to the upper part of the side frame F G, and to its middle part is attached, or upon it is formed, another arm, O, which rests upon the upper end of the bar l), so that the weights K may be supported by the bar l. The bar P is pivoted, at or near its center, to the side frame G. rlhe space between the bars B is occupied by two boards, Q R, which are placed at a little lower level than the tops ot the bars B. The rear board Q is station ary, its ends lbeing secured to the sills A.

The forward board It is pivoted, at the rear partl et its end edges. to the sills A. One ot' the pivots S ot' the board It projects, and bent upward along'the side of the lower part ofthe bar P. T are pins attached to the rear edges oi' the side boards or frames G of the trap to receive the rails or boards of a fence, which is thus continued close up to the sides of the trap, so that the trap, when set, may seem to be a gap in the fence or pen with which it is connected.

In using the trap, the hog, in seeking-to es cape through a gap, steps upon the tilting' board lt, the tilting of which pitches him i`orward, so that his neck may be between the levers C. 'lhe tilting of the board It presses the arm S against the lower end et' the pivoted bar l, which withdraws the upper end et' said bar from beneath the arm IO of the shaft N, allowing the weights K to drop, closin g the levers C, which clasp the hog around his neck, and around his body in the rear of his fore legs, where he may be held securely by hookiu g the straps or chains H upon the pins L.

Having thus described our invention, what pivoted bar P, and the pivoted board R, 11m we claim as new, and desire to secure by Leting an outer arm, S, 011 one of its pivots, as

ters Patent, isset forth.

l. The combination With the bin D and lever C pivoted at one 7end thereof, of thehor EggRSHIYFR rAonmlly and vertically slotted bar B, having 'r J i L :n series of notches near one end, as described. Vitnesses:

2. The combination, Withweighted strap and JOE. A. HUNTER,

chains H H', of shaft N, having arms M O, DAVID H. VELL. 

